Production of TV programs in the studios at TV stations and production companies uses large and expensive video cameras called studio cameras. Such cameras capture high-quality video and also have tally lamps and view finders such that multiple studio cameras are simultaneously used. The tally lamp displays tally signals from a switcher, and the view finder displays return videos from the switcher.
Recently, the performance of small and inexpensive portable video cameras has dramatically improved, and thereby this has made it possible to shoot video of quality high enough for broadcasting using portable video cameras. Thus, there is a need to employ such portable video cameras for broadcast use in order to reduce TV program production costs.
However, the portable video camera is not supposed to be used as a studio camera, and thereby is not suitable for shooting video simultaneously using multiple video cameras.
In view of the above situation, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique using a studio camera adaptor that includes:
an attachment unit for a portable video camera;
a portable video camera attached to the attachment unit;
an attachment unit for a view finder;
the view finder attached to the attachment unit;
an on-air tally lamp;
an intercom function;
a connector panel for transferring these signals; and
an electronic circuit unit for processing these signals. By attaching the studio camera adaptor to the portable video camera and adding necessary functions the portable video camera lacks, the portable video camera may be used as a studio camera.